Description: Pension accounting standards continue to evolve across the globe with objectives, methods and assumptions varying, sometimes substantially, from one jurisdiction to the next. The presenters will compare the primary global pension accounting standards (US GAAP and IFRS), review recent developments and address whether or not the current standards adequately serve stakeholders such as plan participants, investors, management and regulators.

Description: Traditional pension mathematics assumes that mortality rates are fixed at a valuation date. If mortality rates reduce after a valuation date, the liabilities of a defined benefit plans 'DB plans' increase, leading to deficits. Such deficits are somewhat unpredictable, because the evolution of mortality rates is a random process. This problem, which is often called longevity risk, makes the maintenance of DB plans difficult. The International Accounting Standards Board 'IASB' has plans to tackle the arduous problem of how to disclose longevity risk on financial statements. The IASB was established in 2001 to create universal accounting standards, called International Accounting Reporting Standards 'IFRSs'. A primary objective of this paper is to propose a number of methods that can help actuaries and plan sponsors quantify and disclose longevity risk.

Description: This paper solves the pension benefit allocation problem using an extremely simple accounting approach. It presents a simple accounting argument, which says that the cost for like units of production should increase at the rate of inflation. If we assume that the appropriate units of production for an employee are inflation-adjusted salary, this rationale leads to projected unit credit with the benefit apportioned by interest-adjusted salary [PUCIAS] as the appropriate funding method for pensions. This same rationale can be extended to post-service medical care funding. For post-service medical care, however, the rationale does not lead to PUCIAS, since the rates of inflation for medical care and salary do not cancel. There is also a question whether inflation-adjusted salary should be used as the units of production for post-service medical care. When it is, it is still important avoid aggregating groups with different salary and promotion patterns. When it is not, the widget accounting arguments still hold as far unit costs increasing with the rate of medical care inflation.

Description: Discussion of GAAP accounting for post employment benefits and FAS 106.

Description: This article summarizes the work of the SFAS No. 106 implementation task force which was formed to consider the needs of practicing actuaries, inform the appropriate standing committees of these needs, and prompt these committees toward quick resolution of any outstanding issues.

Description: This is a discussion about the Opinion No. 8 Bulletin on accounting for the cost of pension plans that was recently issued by the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the effect this bulletin will have on the preparation of actuarial valuations of pension plans. Also discussed is the use of level-premium life insurance in connection with employee benefit plans and the underwriting, actuarial and other problems encountered in the design and marketing of such plans. Finally, the discussion moves to the marketing, underwriting and administration of vision care and prescription drug benefits, and the advantages and disadvantages of providing survivor benefits in group life and qualified pension plans. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1967, Vol. 19 Pt. 2, No. 53.

Description: 1973 SOA Annual Meeting. This paper provided summaries of several concurrent sessions from the referenced meeting including: 1. NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN GROUP LIFE AND HEALTH PROGRAMS. 2. MARKETING INDIVIDUAL ORDINARY INSURANCE. 3. ACTUARIAL LITERATURE. 4. INDIVIDUAL DISABILITY INCOME INSURANCE. 5. GROUP SURVIVOR INCOME BENEFITS. 6. GROUP LIFE AND HEALTH - EXTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS. 7. PENSION PLAN FINANCIAL REPORTING.

Description: Other Post Employment Benefits OPEB deals with the promise of providing coverage for post employment non-pension benefits such as health care and life insurance. This article focuses on the recent implementation of GASB No. 43 and 45 which requires public entities to value and recognize the liability of post employment non-pension benefits.

Description: This paper uses economic principles to evaluate methods that may be used to assign the cost of employee benefits to accounting periods. From Current Pension Actuarial Practice in Light of Financial Economics Symposium, M-RS04-1.

Description: This session discussion is about the initial experience under Financial Accounting Standard 87, how have plan sponsors reacted, what assumptions are being used, further guidance from Financial Accounting Standards Board staff, and the work of Interim Actuarial Standards Board. From Record of the Society of Actuaries Vol. 12, No. 4A.